Search This Blog

August 30, 2008

Thousands of Mexicans marched in the capital on Saturday to protest against a wave of kidnappings and gruesome murders, putting pressure on President Felipe Calderon to meet his promises to crack down on crime. Holding candles and dressed in white, demonstrators on the capital's Paseo de la Reforma main street carried posters and pictures of kidnap victims and signs saying, "Enough Is Enough." source

Micro CoilsThis natural will stand up to sweltering heat even when you can't. Brush hair back on one side and secure with large bobby pins or a ponytail holder. A hairdressing like PhytoSpecific Moisturizing Styling Balm will keep sides smooth.

Neo PuffsThis descendant of 1970's-era Afro puffs is pretty fierce. Apply L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Perfect Curls from the roots to ends on wet hair before drying it with a diffuser. Use Redken Water Wax 03 Shine Defining Pomade at the crown to manage frizz.

Flat TopThe new twist here is the side part, with its loose, asymmetrical accent. To achieve this ultracool elevation, pick the hair out on the right side more than the left. Use Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural Intensive Oil Sheen Spray and its Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer for hydration and shine.

August 28, 2008

I'm back from my vacation and had a wonderful time in Barbados . The country , the people and the culture is so beautiful, and i'm very proud to be BAJAN. I visited family that I haven't seen in over 5-10 years or so, I ate a roti every other day and fish cakes (my fav). I visited the Barbados Historical Museum which was amazing and filled with tons of vital information, I also visited the Bussa Emancipation statue and the Mount Gay Rum Distilleries.

My future goal is to visit my mom and dad's homeland more often and to also buy land and build a future home . The houses are very beautiful down there !!!

August 25, 2008

By Kenya N. ByrdTerri J. Vaughn celebrated her Take Wings Foundation’s Sixth Annual Angels Awards Benefit gala with family and friends at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco on August, 16, 2008, proving that she has adopted the idea of paying it forward not only as a mantra, but as a lifestyle.Hollywood divas Terri J. Vaughn, founder of Take Wings Foundation, and Essence Atkins share a sisterly bond at the Sixth Annual Angels Benefit gala in San Francisco. source

August 24, 2008

"Celebrating birthdays is not merely a convention. Birthdays are occasions to celebrate one's growth, maturity, and development. Birthdays remind us that the gift of life is the most precious and important one."

Bussa (d. 1816) was the leader of a slave uprising in Barbados. He was born a free man in Africa, but was captured by african slave merchants and sold to the English men and brought to Barbados in the late 18th century as a slave. Not much is known about him and there are no records of him prior to this date.

The rebellion he led is often referred to as the "Bussa Rebellion" which began on Sunday, April 14, 1816. It was the first slave uprising in Barbados for 124 years; the previous taking place in 1692. "Bussa's Rebellion" was planned by such collaborators as Washington Franklin and Nanny Grigg, a senior domestic slave on Simmons' estate, as well as other slaves, drivers and artisans. The planning was undertaken at a number of sugar estates, including Bayley's Plantation where it began. Preparation for the rebellion began soon after the House of Assembly discussed and rejected the Imperial Registry Bill in November 1815. By February 1816, the decision had been taken that the revolt should take place in April, at Easter. Bussa led the slaves into battle at Bayley's on Tuesday, April 16. He commanded some 400 freedom fighters and was killed in battle. His troops continued the fight until they were defeated by superior firepower. The rebellion failed but its impact was significant to the future of Barbados.

In 1985, 169 years after that rebellion, when the Emancipation Statue was unveiled, many Barbadians identified it with Bussa in the 1816 revolt.

In 1999, Bussa was named as the first national hero of Barbados and in Barbados there is a monument and round -a- bout in his honour. source

The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) was the most successful of African slave rebellions in the Western Hemisphere. It established Haiti as a free republic ruled by blacks, the first of its kind. At the time of the revolution, Haiti was known as Saint-Domingue and was a colony of France. Through the revolution, people of African ancestry freed themselves from French colonization and from slavery. Although hundreds of rebellions occurred during the slave era, only the 1791 revolt on Saint-Domingue succeeded in permanently liberating an entire island.

Haiti was the first republic led by people of African descent in modern history. It went directly from being a French colony to self-governance through a process that has had lasting effect on the nation. Slaveholders had established a system using violence and force in controlling the majority. Unfortunately leaders rising in the nascent black republic adopted similar means to keep control. An elite comprised of educated free people of color took control of political and economic power.

Historians traditionally identify the catalyst to revolution as a particular Vodou service in August 1791 performed at Bois Caïman by Dutty Boukman, a priest.But a number of complex events set the stage that culminated in the most significant revolt in the history of enslaved Africans. continue reading

Many of the Pueblo people harboured a latent hostility toward the Spanish, primarily due to their denigration and prohibition of the traditional religion. The traditional economies of the pueblos were likewise disrupted, the people being forced to labour on the encomiendas of the colonists. Some Pueblo people may have been forced to labour in the mines of Chihuahua. However, the Spanish had also introduced new farming implements and provided some measure of security against Navajo and Apache raiding parties. As a result, they had lived in relative peace with the Spanish since the founding of the Northern New Mexico colony in 1598.

In the 1670s, drought swept the region, which not only caused famine among the Pueblo, but also provoked increased attacks from neighboring nomadic tribes—attacks against which Spanish soldiers were unable to defend them. At the same time, European-introduced diseases were ravaging the natives, greatly decreasing their numbers. Unsatisfied with the protective powers of the Spanish crown and disenchanted with the Roman Catholic religion it had brought along, the people turned to their old religions. This provoked a wave of repression on the part of Franciscan missionaries. continue reading

This year's selection showcases New York-based films and filmmakers celebrating local artists and communities, as well as a strong representation of international filmmakers from around the world. The 2008 slate will culminate in the special closing night screening of The Secret Life of Bees, followed by a Q&A with talent from the film including Queen Latifah, Sophie Okonedo ('Hotel Rwanda'), and screenwriter/director Gina Prince-Bythewood ('Love & Basketball'

'These are really exciting times for the festival,' said Stacy Spikes, founder of Urbanworld. 'On display we have films of nearly every genre, created by filmmakers of nearly every background. This robust selection of cinema, together with our new partnership with BET Networks, promises to make this the best Urbanworld yet.'

'We're thrilled to have hip-hop's first lady Queen Latifah sign on as honorary chair for this year's festivities,' said Alvin Bowles, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, BET Networks. 'The exciting lineup of cinematic talent rounds out our mission to embrace and support the new wave of filmmakers of color through our partnership with Urbanworld.' source

Now it is enthusiastically and abundantly about style. The Barack Obama campaign, which has been actively courting the fashion industry, has coordinated some 20 or so designers who are creating official merchandise for the candidate's Web site. It is the first time, as far as Seventh Avenue long-timers can recall, that a quorum of the fashion industry has organized its financial resources and creative energy around a single presidential candidate.

So I'm off to my mother's native land Ichirouganaim also known as Barbados. A vacation well overdue, I'm going to the beach as much as I can, and will be visiting family and celebrating my 24th birthday on August 24th. I have schedule some post for the next several days, so enjoy and have a great week.

Six Jamaican students were presented with scholarships by the Chinese Government last week, to pursue higher education in China.

Under the scholarship, the students, three males and three females, will be able to study at several universities across China. The participants were recruited under the full and partial Chinese Government scholarship programme.

Addressing the recipients at the awards ceremony in Kingston, Ambassador of China to Jamaica, Chen Jinghua, praised the participants, noting that the scholarships sought to develop co-operation and exchanges in various avenues, which were beneficial to any society.

He said that the Chinese Government scholarship scheme was established to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship; and develop co-operation and exchanges in education, science and technology, culture, economy and trade and other fields, between China and other countries. source

On August 19, 2008, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs-Jones was taken to a Cleveland hospital where she was put on life support after suffering an aneurysm while driving her car. Police noticed erratic driving and identified the unconscious Tubbs-Jones when the vehicle finally came to a stop in a field.She was on life support in Huron Hospital, a satellite of the Cleveland Clinic. She died Wednesday after suffering brain hemorrhaging caused by an aneurysm, medical officials said.source

On Saturday night, Bolt won the 100m with a world record of 9.69 seconds. He began his celebration with 20 meters to go, throwing his arms in the air and pounding his chest as he crossed the finish.

Bolt is the first man since American Carl Lewis in 1984 to sweep the 100m and 200m gold medals at an Olympics. He is also the first man ever to break the world marks in both sprints at an Olympics. Not even Lewis or Jesse Owens managed that.

Showing what he can do when he runs at full speed all the way through the finish - something he hadn't done yet in the Beijing Games - Bolt eclipsed the old record of 19.32 seconds set by Michael Johnson in Atlanta in 1996. source

"When the original Egyptians were at the pinnacle of their glory they were not a mixed group by any stretch of the imagination. This mixing occurred during the middle dynasties in particular, when foreign people migrated to this great land and started intermarrying, and this may have triggered the downfall of this great Black Civilization."

I own this book and every person of African decent should own it too!!

In the Western world, people change their hairstyles as the trends change. In Africa, a hairstyle is a far more complex choice. In this continent, hair can indicate age, authority, social status and religious affiliation. Hair in African Art and Culture is a series of writings that examine the influences of hairstyles on the African community and the supernatural power that some believe a hairstyle can possess. It contains 175 full-colour and 25 black-and-white illustrations that shows the hairstyles, masks, combs, beads and headrests that dominate this culture. source

August 19, 2008

While Olympic watchers waited Wednesday for the Usain Bolt show to begin, three Russian swimmers - one a marathoner, the other two who have made synchronized swimming's duet event their own - provided some of the early thrills.

Bolt, who easily won the 100-metre sprint in world record time of 9.69 seconds at the Bird's Nest last Saturday, was heavily favoured to repeat his gold in the 200 later Wednesday.

If he wins both the 100 and 200, he'd be the first Olympic athlete since Carl Lewis in 1984 to achieve the feat. And Michael Johnson's 12-year-old world record of 19.32 seconds could fall in the process. source

Venus and Serena Williams kept up a family tradition Sunday, playing together in the Olympic doubles tournament and walking away with the gold medal. Slugging winners from the baseline and slamming shots at the net, the American sisters overpowered Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-2, 6-0. Serena and Venus Williams celebrate Sunday after beating Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual. When Ruano Pascual sent the championship point long, the sisters shrieked in unison. Then they jumped for joy and hugged. “I’m so excited, I can’t even speak,” said the 28-year-old Venus, who has already won seven doubles Grand Slam titles and a gold medal in Sydney alongside younger sister Serena. source